This invention relates to a choker or winch line hook adapted to be used with chain. In the past, most choker and winch line hooks have been used with wire rope -- see, for example, U. S. Pat. Nos. 2,872,716 and 3,276,809. Such ropes have required ferrules at the ends thereof secured to the hook body and the integrity of the fastening of the ferrules has been a continuoing concern of loggers and other users of such hooks. When the hook is used, for example, to fird a heavy log for pulling the same through the brush, tremendous force must be applied and these all focus on the connection between the ferrule and the rope. Should these forces be sufficient to cause failure of this connection, an extraordinary whipping action results which could be injurious or fatal to anyone standing nearby.
Through the use of chain instead of rope, the problem of making a secure connection between the rope and ferrule is avoided -- and this is particularly advantageous since often these connections must be made in the field under less than optimum conditions. The problem in this advantageous substitution was the securement of the chain to the hook body.
This has been solved according to the instant invention through the provision of a cross-shaped opening in the hook body communicating with an internal cavity, the cross-shaped opening being extended in one leg thereof in the form of an L-shaped slot to permit movement of a chain link therein to a secured position at the end of the hook body opposite the end having the eye.